The present invention relates to a climbing tree stand for use by hunters and/or observers of wildlife and, more particularly, to a compact climbing tree stand construction having a telescoping footbed and being configurable to achieve a plurality of different utilization modes including a climbing tree stand mode, a backpack mode and a chair mode.
Climbing tree stands are routinely used by hunters and observers of wildlife as a means of elevated concealment above the wildlife target area. Because wildlife can see, smell and/or detect movement of a person at ground level, elevated platforms are commonly used by hunters and wildlife observers as a means to conceal themselves from the line of sight of the wildlife and to likewise conceal any slight body movements or noise generated by a person which may alert the wildlife to that person's location, or to possible danger. To meet this need, a wide variety of different types of tree stands exist in the prior art in order to achieve an elevated position above the wildlife target area. One type of tree stand commonly used for this purpose is a climbing tree stand which is used to climb a tree, pole or other substantially vertical object in order to be perched at a desired elevated position over the wildlife target area. Climbing tree stands typically include two support assemblies, both of which must be carried or otherwise transported to the wildlife target area. One support assembly provides a seat for supporting a user's main body which and the other support assembly provides a platform for supporting the user's feet. Each assembly is separate and apart from each other and includes some type of tree engaging mechanism for individually maneuvering each respective assembly up and down the tree or other substantially vertical object. Climbing tree stands employ leverage forces in their operation and each assembly is operated by selectively shifting the user's body weight from one assembly to the other assembly such that a leverage force is created on the assembly supporting the user's weight and no significant force is applied to the other assembly permitting it to be slidably moved along the tree or other substantially vertical object to be climbed. As a result, a user can easily climb up and down a tree trunk having little or no limb obstruction with little effort by alternately standing on the foot assembly which applies leverage to that assembly so as to engage such assembly with the tree and thereafter raising or lowering the seat assembly along the tree trunk as desired. Once the seat assembly is properly positioned at a different elevated location, the user then applies his/her weight to the seat assembly thereby applying leverage to that assembly so as to engage that assembly with the tree and thereafter raises or lowers the foot assembly as desired by either drawing his/her legs up under the seat assembly or extending his/her legs downwardly away from the seat assembly to position the foot assembly at a different elected position. A user repeats this process until the desired height is reached or until the user has lowered himself/herself to the ground. The use and operation of climbing tree stands are well-known to a person skilled in the art.
Typical prior art climbing tree stands are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,417,645; 5,103,935; 5,265,780; and 5,641,036. Although the above-referenced known climbing tree stands incorporate different structures and different tree engaging mechanisms for accomplishing similar tasks, none of these prior art devices disclose a telescoping footbed, and none disclose a pair of assemblies which can be arranged in a variety of different operative configurations relative to each other to achieve a climbing tree stand mode, a backpack mode, and a chair mode as will be hereafter further explained.
It is therefore desirable to provide a compact climbing tree stand construction which can be manipulated and configured to achieve a climbing tree stand mode, a backpack mode, and a chair mode, and wherein the footbed assembly includes telescoping means for extending the footbed to accommodate users of different height, weight, build and stature and to provide additional storage space for hunting and/or observing equipment such as backpacks, camera cases, game calling equipment, and the like. It is also desirable to provide a compact climbing tree stand construction which incorporates tree engaging members which can be moved from an operative position to a storage position when the tree stand is being used in its backpack mode and in its chair mode.